Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 11037, Daniel Gaston, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Gaston, Daniel Nancy
W 11037
CONTENTS

Dead - let to J. Gaston Nov 25 1840
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 16 th April 1838 from 4 March 1839 to 4 March 1840 Age Notified 25 - Feb 1841.
Pennsylvania
Nancy Gaston 72-3-1 widow of Daniel Gaston dec. who died on the 20 th June 1838 of Northumberland Co. Pa who was a Private in the Comp y . commanded by Captain Gilberson of the Reg t commanded by Col. Forman in the N. J. line for 14 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Penn a at the rate of 46 Dollars 67 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1838 20 th June 1838
Certificate of Pension issued the 15 th day of Mar 1839 and sent to H. C. Hammond Secy of Reps.
Arrears to the 4 th of Sept 1838 $20.62 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar 39 23.33
$ 43.95
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3 rd }
Recorded by M c Adison Clerk, Book 4 Vol. 2 nd Page 140

See let 23 Feb 1837 Thos R. M. Hammond
Dear
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 6 th April 1838 from 4 th March 1838, to the 20 June 1838 the day of his death Age notified 30 April 1839.
4292
Pennsylvania
Daniel Gaston
of _____ in the State of Pennsylvania who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Gibson of the Regt. commanded by Col. Harkness in the New Jersey line for Private 14 mths — $46.66
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 46 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1838.
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 th day of January 1833 and sent to Hon. L. D. Kirk Harm. Reps —
Arrears to 14th of Sept. 1832 $69.99 Pension allowance ending 4 Mar 1833 — 23.33
$93.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Viral Luce Clerk, Book D Vol. 6 Page 59

Northumberland County Pa. State of Penna. — 5
On this 30 th day November AD 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Seth Chapman President and Jacob Gearheart & Henry Shaffer Esq. his associates Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County, now sitting Daniel Gastin a resident of Paint township in said county and State of Penna. aforesaid aged eighty four years and ten months who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States as a Militia man of the State of New Jersey, under the follow- -ing named officers, and served as herein stated Colonel Samuel Durman commanded the regiment to which I belonged Elisha Lawrence was Lieutenant Colonel. William Montgomery was Major; the Adjutant's name was Crayon (I don't recollect his christian name) The Captain of the company to which I first belonged was Gershom Gabberson, he left us and went to the British as soon as independence was declared. William Paine was our next Captain, he also left us and joined the British. John Crownover was next ap- pointed captain and continued till the end of the war. Lawrence Taylor was first Lieutenant Thomas Edwards second lieutenant and David Baird ensign of the company. I was called into service directly after the British took New York, was drafted to serve for a month at a time, at the expiration of our service we were relieved by other militia drafted in the same way. I cannot state any date of the commencement or termination of any one period of time in which I served, but this I can state that I was in service every year throughout the whole war and

am confident that the aggregate of my time engaged in ac- tual service was equal to fourteen months . My memory from age and bodily infirmities will not enable me to specify the particular periods - When I was drafted I resided in Freehold township Monmouth County and State of New Jersey, and my residence continued there during my service. I was a drafted militia man. I was in one skirmish with the Rebels two days before the battle of Monmouth. I was in the field at the battle of Monmouth but not engaged in the action. I was near enough to see the beginning of the action, saw a man shot from his horse by a cannon ball, and remained on the field till General Washington came up with his division and checked the retreat of General Lee
I was always ordered, when drafted, to meet at Monmouth Court house; from thence we went out in various directions. I remember once going on to protect the saltworks on Cedar Creek below Louis river, which the Tories had threatened to burn. After the British left New Brunswick I was marched up into Morris County beyond New Brunswick to where the main army then lay, I do not know the name of the place or county. I was then marched on towards the South river, and was kept out in that quarter till the English returned to New York. The month in which the battle of Monmouth occurred I was marched down to- wards Philadelphia, and we were marched back to be at Monmouth at the time of the battle. On this route we took two persons prisoners, and I and David Bartle another militia man were sent with them to Trenton to put them in confinement. We met General Dickinson on our way at Bordentown who examined the prisoners and discharged them. My brother Hugh who belonged to the same company I did was taken prisoner by the British the day before the battle of Monmouth

In the course of my service I have frequently been as as to know them, General Washington, General Hammond, General Lee, General Moxley, Colonel Moxley, Major Box, Major Lee of the light horse and others whose names I do not recollect. The above officers were with the troops at different times when I was in service. The field officers above named commanded continental troops, but I cannot remember the names of their regiments. I was well acquainted with Colonel Moxley and had some conversation with him the night before the British took Fort Washington. I was in the fort the night before it was taken.
General Sumner was the colonel of the militia regiment that I belonged to. I cannot otherwise designate the regiment.
I have no documentary evidence in my possession, nor do I know of any person whose testimony I can procure to testify to my services.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
(Daniel G. Gorton)
I own to and has paid the day and year past. of account Ed. G. Wright. D.P.
We John Corder Post Master John Wheatley Justice of Peace and John Laggart a director of the Bank of Southwicks, John Jackson M.P. residing in the Town of Southwicks hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Daniel Gartin who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty four years of age and upwards and that we believe what he has stated on the subject of his services as a soldier of the revolution, and have full faith and credit in his veracity, and that his character in this neighbourhood is that of a man of truth & honesty.

And we concur in that opinion. We further certify that we do not believe either of the claimants in this neighborhood is personally acquainted with the said Daniel Gaster, the age and infirmities to which he is subject having for some years confined him very much to his residence three miles from the town of Matthewbullock in a retired part of the country, and one of the claimants of the neighborhood having come here within a year past, and the other, the resident here some seven or eight years is not of the age to which the said Daniel belongs.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid Ed V Bright Petty
signed here by mistake
Daniel Gaster John Cowden John Wheatley M c Clusker J. P. Jackson
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he stated. And the court further state that John Cowden, John Wheatley Esq. and John Paggart & Saml Jackson etc S. who have signed the foregoing certificate are personally known to the court and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Jeth Chapman Jacob Gearhart
I Edward G. Bright clerk of the court of common Pleas of Matthewbullock County aforesaid do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Daniel Gaster for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 20 th day of November. A.D. 1892. Ed V Bright Petty

H 249 Nancy Gaston of Daniel Pennsylvania
admitted
Pr. # 46. 66
acc July 186
Feb 22
Hm. R. H. Hammond AR

State of Pennsylvania } Northumberland County } ss
On this tenth  thirtieth day of January One Thousand eight hundred & thirty nine personally appeared before The Hon ble George Weiser One of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Northumberland. Nancy Gaston a resident of the Borough of Northumberland in said County aged Eighty seven years. Who being first duly sworn according to law, with an oath, Make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions Made by the act of Congress passed July 4 th 1836 entitled "an act granting half pay to widows or orphans when their husbands have died &c for other purposes" That she is the widow of Daniel Gaston who was a private in the Army of the Revolution, and a prisoner of the United States at the time of his release She further declares that she was Married to the said Daniel Gaston on the tenth of November A d One thousand seven hundred & seventy four. That her husband the aforesaid Daniel Gaston died on the twentieth of June A d eighteen hundred & thirty eight. That she was Married to him previous to the expiration of the last period of his service & before he entered the service at all to wit at the time above stated.
Sworn & subscribed, on the her day & year above written before } Nancy X Gaston Mark
Geo Weiser W m Forryth
I George Weiser one of the Judges of the several Courts of Record in and for the County of Northumberland do certify that Nancy Gaston who subscribed the above declaration before me is by reason of bodily infirmity, & advanced age unable to appear in person in Court. In testimony whereof

I have hereunto set My hand this thirtieth day of January D eighteen hundred & thirty nine
Geo W Beirne
Northumberland County ss
Before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in & for said County personally appeared James Gaston of the Borough of Northumberland who upon his oath saith that he is the son of Daniel Gaston & Nancy Gaston within mentioned that he has in his possession the Family Record of the said Daniel & Nancy, & that he has had possession of the same for a number of years past and that in said Record is contained an entry of the Marriage of the said Daniel & Nancy Gaston and of the time when it took place to wit on the tenth day of November 1774. And that the Family Bible now produced & exhibited to the said Justice containing an entry of the said Marriage is the Original and only Record of the Marriage of the said Daniel & Nancy Gaston, and that he has no knowledge that any other Record of the said Marriage ever existed.
Sworn & subscribed before me } James Gaston this thirtieth day of January 1839
John B Boyd JP
I John B Boyd a Justice of the peace in and for the County of Northumberland Penn ce do certify that James Gaston has this day exhibited to me the Family Record of Daniel Gaston a revolutionary pensioner. And that in said Record is contained as follows "Daniel Gaston was born January 9 th — Ann Gaston was born December 18 th — Married November 10 th 1774." and that the said entry is engrossed in fair legible

words & figures, the years of the births of the said Daniel & Nancy being on the margin of the leaf have been worn off so that the term from the Record cannot be ascertained. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of January A D 1839.
John B Boyd JP
State of Pennsylvania
County of Northumberland
I, D. Brantigan Prothonotary of the Courts of common Pleas of Northumberland County aforesaid Do. Certify that George Weiser Esq. before whom the foregoing Declaration was made and who's name thereunto subscribed, was at the time of so doing and is yet one of the associate Judges of the eighth Judicial district of Pennsylvania duly commissioned and qualified, and all who acts as such due faith & credit are & ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as elsewhere - and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Sunbury the thirty first day of January A D 1839.
D Brantigan Pres.
State of Pennsylvania
County of Northumberland
I, D. Brantigan Prothonotary of the Courts of common Pleas of said County Do. Certify that John B. Boyd Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavit and given & signed the foregoing Certificate was at the time and is yet an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Northumberland duly commissioned and qualified, and that the signatures purporting to be his are genuine -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the Court at Sunbury the thirty first day of January A D 1839.
D Brantigan Pres.

Wm R H Hammond H R

CHAP. IV.
1 Gods judgment on the wicked, 2 and his blessing on the good: 4 He exhorteth to the study of the law, 5 and telleth of Elijahs coming and office.
Before Christ cir. 397.
FOR behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Luke i. 78.
2 But unto you that fear my name, shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. Before Christ cir. 397.
4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Exod. 20. 1.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. Matt. 11. 14. Mark 9. 11. Luke 1. 17.
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Daniel Gaston was Born January the 18 th Ann Gaston was Born December the 18 th of the Married November the 10 - 1774 Our Son John was Born December the 1 st
The End of the Prophets.
Sary Gaston was Born September the 1777 Our Son James was Born October the 13 - 1779 Our Son Stephen was Born December the 16 - 1781 Our Son William was Born July the 16 - 1784
Our Daughter Ellen Gaston was Born January the 23 1789 Our Daughter Jane Gaston was Born July the 3 - 1789
Daniel Gaston "died" June 20 th 1838 -

The Father born February 8th 1845
Mother born Sept 5th 1825
Brother born Sept 16th 1845
Son Joseph Arthur born Oct 5 1849
Daughter born March 17 - 1851
Son Daniel was born December 7 1878
Daughter born was born December 13 1878
Daughter born April 1880

Northumberland County ss 3.
Before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in & for said County personally appeared D. Brantigan who being duly sworn according to law saith that he was present when the leaf above attached hereto was taken from the Family Bible of Daniel Gaston deceased by his son James Gaston, and that it is the identical leaf on which the Register of Marriage of the said Daniel is made
sworn & subscribed before me this 14 Feby 1839.
John B Boyd JP
D Brantigan
Northumberland County ss.
I Sam d D. Jordan Prothonotary of the Court of common pleas of Northumberland County aforesaid do hereby certify that John B. Boyd Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavit was made, was at the time and is yet a Justice of the peace in and for the county of Northumberland, duly commissioned and qualified, and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the Seal of the Court aforesaid at Pumberland the 14 th day of Feby. 1839
Sam D Jordan Prothonotary

Daniel Gaston
Admitted
Private
14 months
$46.66
Mrs. L. Dewar

BRIEF in the case of  Daniel Gaston  of No. 60, in the State of Pennsylvania  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Com. Pleas  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 84 years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     In 17 We cannot remember to state the different periods of his service but is confident the aggregate was equal to fourteen months. Served every year during the war As a Gen. N. J. Mil. Col. H. Gibson, Col. Townan others  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Monmouth Co. N. J.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional. No clergyman with whom he is acquainted  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. Brown
Examining Clerk.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office,
January 19 th 1841.
Sir :
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," The child n of Nancy Gaston, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Philadelphia Agency, at the rate of Forty Six Dollars and 67 Cents per annum, under the law of the 4 th July 1836, has been paid at this Department, from the 1 st of March 1839, to the 1 st March 1840.
Respectfully yours,
Wilson B. Purdie
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

Northumberland County State of Pennsylvania ss.
Personally come before me the undersigned a justice of the peace in & for said County Daniel Gaston who being duly sworn, deposes and saith that by reason of old age and the con- sequent loss of memory, he cannot swear posi- tively as to the precise length of time his services but he is confident they exceeded two months in each year from the beginning of the war in 1776 till the peace in 1783 making in the whole four- teen months, and for each service I claim a pen- sion.
Daniel Gaston
Sworn & subscribed before me the 5 th day of December December 1832
John Wheatley
I Edward G. Bright Prothonotary of the court of Common Pleas of Northumberland County do certify that Daniel  John Wheatley  any is a justice of the peace in & for of a true? the County aforesaid, and that I believe the name " John Wheatley " subscribed to the preceding affidavit is the genuine signature of the said John Wheatley  John Wheatley . In testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office the day of December December AD 1832.
Edw. G. Bright. Protho. per W. Regnier Deputy

Watterson d. Dec. 10. 1832
Dear Sir
I beg leave to enclose you the application of David Gaster for a pension under the late law. He is the father of James Gaster of this place and is a very respectable old man. He has not been able to authenticate his claim by the testimony of a clergyman. He is himself a presbyterian, and has no knowledge of Mr. King the united unitarian clergyman of this place. and Mr. Stone the clergyman of the former sect, has been but very recently a resident of this neighborhood, of which you are aware. But I presume the testimony to the same point of a Physician, a Post Master, a Justice of Peace & a Doctor of Medicine will be equivalent to that of a clergyman.
He cannot more particularly than is set forth in his statement designate the periods of time he was engaged in actual service nor has he the means of being more particular. if more is required his application must fail. I would observe however that he feels confident that his services were of much longer duration than he has set forth. but being unwilling to risk any thing on oath, he has confined the time to a period of which he is certain. — He is a conscientious man and will not say or swear to anything other than the truth. —
If you can aid the old man you will be doing a favor to a worthy old citizen. but one whose information of body have him but a small share of long enjoying the country as he obtains it. I feel interested in his success. very respectfully I am &c.
Geo. Stephenson
The Hon. Lewis Dewart.

Feb 18. In a b
Mrs. Garrison
Hon. S. L. Edwards
South of Pennans
Washington
Fred H. Hemenway R.R.

Home on Rept 16 th Feby 39
Hon J. L. Edwards
Sir
I herewith enclose further testimony in favour of the claim of Mrs Gaston, & shall be pleased to receive the information requested in Mr Boyds letter herewith enclosed —
Respectfully Yours R. H. H. ...

Daniel Gaston Pa. Act of June 1832 to what time paid? Pen. Office
p st 4 March 1838 - 4 th g nt m tu . Feb 6, 1839.
TH

1219 N 10th Mail
4 July 88 Mrs Gorton
G. Edwards Cons of Pension Hon R A Hammond A. 22 Washington

Home of Repn 2 nd Feby 1839
Hon Y. L. Edwards Sir
I herewith enclose another application for a pension & would be glad to hear from you on the subject as soon as com- -ment
Yours & R. H. H. Mansel

Nancy Gaston Pennsylvania
— Suspended
See let of Feb 139 Penn R. R. Hammond
Act 4 July 1836

Revolution.
New Jersey WIDOW, &c.
File No. 11037
Nancy Gaston Wife of Daniel Gaston Brig Rev. War
Act: July 4 th 18 2
Index:—Vol. a , Page 263
[Arrangement of 1870.]

TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Second Comptroller's Office,
April 23 d , 1839.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838 entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," The Widow of Daniel Gaston, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Philadelphia Agency, at the rate of Forty six Dollars and sixty six Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June, 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of March 1838, to the 20 th June, 1838, the day of his death,
Respectfully, yours,
William H. Parris Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions, Present.

100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 100. 100.
Feby. 7. 1839
06
[Faint, mirrored handwriting from the reverse side of the page, likely bleed-through.]

War Dept. P.M. Office Feb 7 1887
Sir
The papers in the case of Mrs Nancy Gaston widow of Daniel Gaston did have been ex d filed with suspended case. Before a final decision can be had the original family record referred to in the affidavit of James Gaston should be exhibited. The sheet containing it should be taken from the Books in the presence of some respectable person who should make an affidavit of the fact, which should be thereto attached , and the official character and signature of the magistrate should be certified by the proper officer under his seal of office before transmitting it to the office. Mr Boyd's letter is herewith returned.
Hon. R. M. Hammond N. R.
4249 encl Feb 1836

Nov 20 1840
Mr Gaston Mays Bartle.
for
L Edward Esq. Memphis of Pensylvania Washington City -

1840 Northumberland Novem: 23.
James L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions Washington City
Sir
Mrs Nancy Gaston the widow of Daniel Gaston decd who was a General of the U.S. died on the 10 th Oct 1840. her pension has not been drawn since 4 th March 1839. I wish to obtain the proper instructions as to the correct course to pursue in obtaining the arrear of her pension -
Very respectfully
I remain Yr. Dra James Gaston